What I have read NKs are supposed to be quite healthy breeds. What kind of healthy issues your NKs have had? Ife has had UTI, once inflammation of uterine, nasal mites and abouth month ago she had sleep in the corner of the eye (hope this is the word I mean). I think our cold and dry winter weather caused it because it has stopped now.

Do you know any hereditary diseases on NK? I have heard that one Kai has a glaucoma.

Not too many health issues for my Kishus. Taro had really bad ear infection which made his ears floppy, Riki has had about 8 different areas stitched up due to injuries during hunting and a bit of dandruff, Koyuki has ring worms, Yuki #1 has had no health issues what so ever.

I really think the medium sized NK has very few known genetic illnesses but correct me if I'm wrong. I know in Japan, heart worm is one of the leading deaths for NK due to the crazy amount of mosquitos. In some of my old NK books, it shows the extremes of heart worm infestation in NK. I'm sure not as bad now since there are more vaccines available on the market.

Lots of issues! My shibas are hypothyroid, and while that is common enough in Akitas, it hasn't been studied so much in Shibas, but I suspect it is much more common than people think.

I would guess Akitas have the most health problems (and higher numbers) but I'm thinking of American and Japanese Akitas together, not just the Akita Inu.

My Akita has a mild case of micropthalmia, which is a genetic eye disorder. Cataracts and glaucoma also show up, and I believe those have a genetic component as well.

Hip dysplasia and luxating patellas (the latter esp. show up in shibas). Both my Shibas have very mild LPs. No HD, though, luckily!

Other health issues that come to mind:

I just read that there is a genetic predisposition to bloat in larger breeds (which would include Akitas--it's unfortunately common enough in them). I hope never to have to deal with this! My neighbor's great pyrenees got it and we simply couldn't get him in the car...he was so heavy...and by the time we got help (the fire dept. came), it was too late, and he died on the way to the vet. It was awful!

Shibas are prone to allergies. My Mitsu doesn't have them (and hopefully won't develop them). According to my vet, chicken is the allergy she sees the most in shibas, but I know on the shiba forum there are shibas that are allergic to grains, grass, and I think there's even a shiba that is mildly allergic to human dander, if I recall correctly...

Eta: oops, I missed the hereditary aspect. Not sure how genetics come into play with allergies...

I'm not gonna list all of the health issues we have seen in our NK over the years, but I will say this: The NK breeds are pretty healthy.

The more popular the breed the more health issues seem to exist in that breed. So you will see that the Akita and the Shiba have more issues than the Shikoku, Kai, Hokka, and Kishu, but generally speaking, all the NK breeds are pretty healthy dogs.

All one needs to do is own a molosser-type breed or toy breed to see just how health the NK breeds are relative to the rest of dogdom.

My two Shibas both have allergies. Bella is highly allergic to grain and has some inhalant allergies (dust, pollens, grasses). Nola is allergic to chicken and pork (both cooked, never tried raw with her).

Nola also has hip dysplasia, but so far we have been able to deal with that without having to have surgery.

But on a whole... They are both pretty healthy dogs. They are hardy, enjoy all types of climate and generally do not cause me much grief. Other than my accident prone Nola, I rarely have to go to the vet for anything other than routine stuff. :)

What health test would you stipulate for breeding dog? And is there any compulsary test what you need to do before you get pedigree for a litter? I have done every possible test for Ife which I think are important (hips, eyes, knees and elbows) and I would like to do heart auscultation, liver test and x-ray her back (but my vet though they aren't necessary). In Finland there isn't compulsary test for Kais but for many other breed we have. And how important you consider these healthy test for breed like Nihon Kens which are supposed to be quite healthy?

Rakka had a benign cyst on her neck that was removed, and Brad's Ahi (Rakka's littermate) had a cyst near her uterus, I think... Brad can clarify that one for me. @brada1878 Cysts are pretty random, though, so it may have been a coincidence.

She's also been stitched up plenty of times just for hurting herself, and it seems to me that shikoku are prone to getting themselves into trouble, although Rakka's becoming more sensible with age.

Sosuke's testicles are taking forever to descend, and from what I can gather, that's not too uncommon for kai.

I don't think Ahi had a cyst, but she did have a mineralization on her small intestine which caused a blockage. It was found and removed during her spay. She also had chronic vaginitis, Luxating Patella in both legs and shoulder issues.

Mochi was the one with the ovarian cyst.

Loa had Luteal Ovarian Cysts.

@hondru - Yes, late dropping testicles seems to be a common issue in the Kai Ken, and in our imports it seems extra common in the lines that come down from a female named Taka (via Eishin and Mako). I have not decided how concerned I am as it doesn't seem to cause issues with reproduction - but, technically, if testicles are not fully dropped by 8 weeks it is considered a Cryptorchid (but not a retained testicle).

We'll wait and see how it plays out, obviously it's not optimum, but I think a certain amount of open-mindedness needs to be used when judging imported preservation stock (opposed to stock produced by and kept for a breeding program).

Thanks for the advice for the Thyroid test. Have to make appointment for Ife for that test. And about the testicals. I had problems to find them at first because they were so tiny! But the vet in Japan had found them and then my own vet too. I think you shouldn't worry them too much until he is six months old. And the list idea is very good.

So far my Shikoku seem pretty healthy with the exception that Shoushuu has an allergy to chicken (with possible allergy to all varieties of fowls) but nothing life-threatening it just makes his super skin itchy (specifically his hind right foot).

Oh and...the motion sickness kinda sucks too...once we have a more established breeding stock...if at all possible, I'd love to breed away from the motion sickness, lol. I've been labeling this as "Stomach Sensitivity" as a potential health concern in Shikoku Ken.

I know there are more than just my Kaiya (Kai) with heart murmers. I dont know what kind of testing has been done on any of the others, but Kaiya has seen a cardiologist and has a Valvular Septal Defect (hole in her heart). While it is not life threateneing at this time, she would never be bred.

She also seems to have pretty weak tendon/ligaments in her hind legs, but that might be an activity specific issue. She likes to run on slippery surfaces (or anywhere really)

I think murmers can be diagnose by simple heart listening and if the vet hears any murmur then get a referral to cardiologist. Maybe I add the heart test also to our list because it's so simple operation. May I ask from which kennel Kaiya is? I remembered that Ife had some heart murmers when she was 16 weeks old but when she was 20 weeks old the vet didn't hear them anymore.

Whether the tests are required or not, I think they're pretty important to do before breeding, so yeah, I'd say the basic tests: hips/knees/elbows/eyes. Thyroid. Check for heart murmur. Of course we all know stuff can still come up, but it seems important to me to try to get the odds better for healthy pups by doing the basic tests at least. And then the hard part for breeders must be then NOT breeding dogs if they have health issues, or if they show up in a litter. I keep thinking about how devastating it must be to find out after the puppies are born that there was an unexpected genetic issue (like my boy's micro, which shows up from recessive genes, so would be hard to predict til it happens).

eta: thyroid problems are SO common in Akitas/Shibas that I would be really surprised if they weren't also showing up in other NK just un/under diagnosed.

I got Kaiya from Peggy...Mom is Peggy's dad is Marsha's. She was available because of the murmur and we fully knew about it before we even met her. We just had to see the cardiologist to figure out what was causing it. Her life is not affected at all at this point and hopefully never will be. She can still be her doggy self and run romp play and go full force all the time. A puppy with a murmur is not uncommon and a lot of times, they do outgrow it. I dont know that testing for anything heart related is necessary since it can be heard in just a routine exam if present.

Just though to raise this topic if there has showe up any new diseases. So far I think we can list for Kais murmur, epilepsy, glaucoma and megaesophagus. And do I remember right that few years ago there was one PRA case also?

I tried using the search and didn't find anything (maybe my search skills fail), so I hope it is okay to post my question here. If there is a thread that exists that for some reason I missed, please let me know. :)

Previously during one of Meitou's vet visits (around 11 or 12 weeks old) the vet checking him said his testicles were normal (both could be felt). I had to take him in to the vet today and during the vet's check for testicles at first the vet couldn't find either testicle, but eventually was able to find the left one and after a lot of feeling (poor Meitou, hahaha) he could just barely find the right testicle. So Meitou is now under watch for potential cryptorchidism. From what I've been reading, I'm not sure if there is a certain time frame to know if he is considered crypto or not. He is currently 18 weeks, almost 19 weeks old. My vet wants to keep an eye on it and see how things develop, so I was wondering if there is a general consensus on around what age it is usually determined if a puppy is cryptorchid and should be neutered? @brada1878@TheWalrus@lindsayt

1 Human + 1 HokkaidoRIP Amy (Border Collie)

“Anyone can love a thing because. That's as easy as putting a penny in your pocket.But to love something despite. To know the flaws and love them too. That is rare and pure and perfect.” --Patrick Rothfuss, A Wise Man's Fear

"Life before death. Strength before weakness. Journey before destination." --Brandon Sanderson, the First Ideal from The Stormlight Archive.

I don't know an exact cutoff date. Some are very slow to fully descend, and I have heard of people waiting as long as 9 months. I would be worried if a Shiba was 4ish months old and not fully descended, but that's Shibas and the size difference probably makes a difference. Sometimes being in new places and being handled by strangers can cause the testies in young dogs to retract into the body, so a more accurate result would be to routinely check young male dogs when they are relaxed or at home, once a week or so during the growth spurts especially. It isn't uncommon for a young dog to retract testicles during a big growth spurt. Doing daily checks and massaging them down into the sack during these times may be worth while.

As someone mentioned, comparing my nk to my chihuahua is like night and day! Toy breeds are pretty sickly and my Shiba and Kai are both extremely healthy. Shiba only had one problem before I got her with an allergic reaction to her annual shots, but she hasn't had this problem since I got her almost 3 years ago. My chi has many problems though. Knee issues, poor eyesight and hearing, extreme food allergies, outdoor allergies, seizures, dewclaws that are regularly infected from licking, anxiety (in the form of codependency and licking my floors and furniture constantly), and hair loss. I love her dearly, but I'm sticking with nk from here on out. Much healthier and just as lovable! :)

Edit: my chi also cannot be flea treated due to seizures and her allergy to every topical treatment on the market. Did I also mention she has extreme reactions to her annual shots and may not be able to tolerate them any more? And her dental made her sick for days afterwards (I thought she was dying!), but it doesn't matter how clean her teeth are, they're falling out anyways. She's only 6 1/2!!!

@WhoBitMe - Technically, if testes do not drop by 8 weeks of age, the dog is a cryptorchid. However, as mentioned above, sometimes, especially in our Kai imports, they can drop very late. The latest I have seen is 9 months. I would say, if they're not there at a year mark, then it's time to neuter.

The health risk of not neutering a dog who has retained testes (one or both) is that the testicle will start to produce estrogen and can become cancerous. This takes many years tho, so waiting to a year or so is not a big concern.

From my experience, while we certainly do want to breed away from Cryptorchidism in any form in our Kai Ken, it doesn't seem to cause reproductive issues. However, from my own personal experience, it is mos def a hereditary issue.

Whether you neuter a dog that eventually drops both testes, but very late, is a call that needs to be made looking at the whole picture of the breed. If it's not a common issue in the breed, then I would neuter. If it is a common issue in the breed, then I would consider the population - if it's a large population with lots of other males to chose from, then I would neuter. If it's a small population with very few options, then I wouldn't neuter due to this issue alone.

ETA - Just to be clear, as I know how some in dogdom love to twist words: I would never breed a dog who had a permanent retained testicle. I would, however, consider breeding a dog who had a late dropping testicle, if that dog was part of a small population and would add value I felt was greater than the defect.

“Anyone can love a thing because. That's as easy as putting a penny in your pocket.But to love something despite. To know the flaws and love them too. That is rare and pure and perfect.” --Patrick Rothfuss, A Wise Man's Fear

"Life before death. Strength before weakness. Journey before destination." --Brandon Sanderson, the First Ideal from The Stormlight Archive.

I see a lot of cryptorchidism in the Kai, and now in the Hokkaido as well. Of course kennels tell me it's not a problem in their breed, but they don't check, and are not worried about it until it is time to show the dog for the first time at over 6months of age. I have had several pups that exhibit what Whobitme has experienced with Meitou. The testicles are there, and then not, and I think that is explained in the article I linked. If I remember correctly, it was Ann that sent me that article.I've been working on a post about health issues in the Nihon Ken. It's just taking a bit of time to put together.

But about cryptorchidism - when one testicle never comes down you should neuter/spayed the dog ?

Here in Norway we are not allowed to neuter dog's without medical reason...But i have never heard about people that have had this issues on dog's have neuter, and i know about few Shibas that have this problem where they never get 2 testicle only 1 that drops down, the other one you can feel but it never comes down / or you can't find it!

How many of you have done eye examination? Ife is has been checked three times and in October the vet found scar from her eye. It might be corneal dystrophy or just a cat's scratch, we have to wait and see. Nuuk is tested twice and so far his eyes are okey.

But on a whole... They are both pretty healthy dogs. They are hardy, enjoy all types of climate and generally do not cause me much grief. Other than my accident prone Nola, I rarely have to go to the vet for anything other than routine stuff. :)

@MirkaM - A few years ago, Bella was diagnosed with stromal corneal dystrophy, but up until recently her vision was not affected. She went to the vet a few weeks ago due to some clumsiness and general grumpiness. The vet diagnosed her with macular degeneration and the early stages of canine cognitive dysfunction. (See, even more jinxing...)

I am not sure if that helps you at all, though. As of now, there is no medical treatment that we are pursing for the eye issues since her food has a pretty decent amount of zinc in it already (zinc can sometimes help slow the progression of macular degeneration).

@sunyata - OH NO! I'm so sorry to hear about Bella's issues lately, poor girl. I'm sure you've mentioned it before, but where are your girls from again? Future issues concern me, even though Kira isn't even 2 years old yet. I already can't imagine her not in my life.

Will you still be able to bring B&N to the Spring Mountain Bike festival this year? I'm preparing myself this time - Robin brought the trainer to my place and I'm diligently using it so I don't feel like I'm old and dying this time around! :))

Same thing here... We are going to the vet next week to remove one of Ife's P1 so maybe we'll take the test then. She started to grind her teeth last Summer (she does it occasionally while sleeping) and some how managed to break her tooth :/.

That post made me sad, @Sunyata. Even sadder to think that those of us who were dealing with dogs with health issues, only Nola is still around. :( But I'm glad she is!

And then seeing Brad's post about the Kai, well, that did in Leo's chance to be a stud like his father, Akashi! We neutered him when the second testicle hadn't descended at a year old. Well, it probably made my life easier as he was quite the marking machine before the snip!

@Kira_Inu - Bella is likely from a puppy mill. She was purchased by my ex for me before I knew that such things existed (from puppy find, of all places... :-/ ). Nola is from a breeder in TN who is aware of all of her issues (and even though they are likely not genetic both the sire and dam have been pulled from her breeding program).